How to get downloaded music wirelessly from my Macs to the old Naim Hifi?

[Beef Oven!]

Indeed. Many years ago I had some equipment which used DIN connectors. I made up quite a few leads, and they were a b*gger to solder.

Come to think, I still have a Grundig reel-to-reel which uses DIN connectors - and valves.

My DIN connections are still going strong after more than a decade.

[mangerton]

They are lying to you matey
5 pin DIN (as used in MIDI connections) is a pile of cr*p
unreliable and likely to fall apart if you unplug and plug in more than a few times
WHICH is why very few people use them any more

Indeed. Many years ago I had some equipment which used DIN connectors. I made up quite a few leads, and they were a b*gger to solder.

Come to think, I still have a Grundig reel-to-reel which uses DIN connectors - and valves.

[Dave2002]

I guess you mean "remote". Thanks for the observation re visual feedback - at this time I have no experience of those Apple TV devices.

[Stunsworth]

I am not sure whether an Apple TV will also do the same job - around £100 instead of around £80 for the Airport Express.

It would, but the Apple TV relies on the person using it to have some visual feedback of what they're doing - i.e. it would need to be connected to a TV using an HDMI cable.

One thing I didn't mention earlier is that if you have an iOS device - iPhone or iPad - there's a free app that acts as a remove for iTunes, and allows the user to select the music to be played etc. This works with both the Airport Express and the Apple TV.

[Dave2002]

I am not sure whether an Apple TV will also do the same job - around £100 instead of around £80 for the Airport Express. I think some around here may know more. For myself I use a now obsolete Squeezebox unit fed into a DAC. Apparently new ones are still available at a high price on eBay, and even the second hand ones are more than £100. They can be configured quite easily to work with an iPad as a controller, and use the Logitech Media Server with access to the local iTunes library.

There are cheaper devices from Roku which will do the wireless link, but they perhaps don't have the quality level desired.

[Stunsworth]

Hmm... that's red-lined my technical "knowledge".

I am running OSX 10.6.8 as I haven't fancied upgrading.

Should I now do so, in your opinion? I have just seen from a search that Apple may be about to discontinue support for 10.6.8... and moreover that "Mavericks is free for Mac users running Snow Leopard 10.6.8 and up." I've not upgraded before because (a) what I have suits me fine, and I've heard of glitches from those who did try to upgrade; and (b) it cost money. I didn't want to pay for something I didn't need and which gave grief

Caliban, I upgraded to Mavericks and have had no problems. However, I may have misled you a little bit.

I did some digging around and you can send the music directly from iTunes to an Airport Express using the icon to the right of the volume control at the top of the iTunes window. That gives a box of available devices that the sound can be sent to. Currently this might be empty for you as there's no device set up in your system.

To configure everything, all you need to do is to set up the Airport Express in 'client' mode, connect the Airport express to your amp using a suitable lead, and then tell iTunes to send the sound to the Airport Express. There are set up details here...

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4587?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

In particular the part headed

Connecting to an existing Wi-Fi network, exclusively for iTunes music

I would still recommend the Mavericks update, but it may not be necessary to achieve what you want to do.

[MrGongGong]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIN_connector

They are lying to you matey
5 pin DIN (as used in MIDI connections) is a pile of cr*p
unreliable and likely to fall apart if you unplug and plug in more than a few times
WHICH is why very few people use them any more

[Beef Oven!]

???



You mean 5 Pin ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIN_connector

[Nick Armstrong]

You could use an Airport Express and connect its analogue output to a line level input on the amp, or its digital output to a DAC.

On the Mac, if it's running Mavericks you could use Airplay to send iTunes output to the Airport Express. If Airplay isn't available you'd could use some software called Airfoil to do the same.

a refurbished Airport Express is £59 from Apple. Airfoil is $25.

Hmm... that's red-lined my technical "knowledge".

I am running OSX 10.6.8 as I haven't fancied upgrading.

Should I now do so, in your opinion? I have just seen from a search that Apple may be about to discontinue support for 10.6.8... and moreover that "Mavericks is free for Mac users running Snow Leopard 10.6.8 and up." I've not upgraded before because (a) what I have suits me fine, and I've heard of glitches from those who did try to upgrade; and (b) it cost money. I didn't want to pay for something I didn't need and which gave grief.

But I'm inclined to think I should now do so. As someone who clearly knows his apples from his onions, I'd value your view.

Sounds like it would make the resolution of my query in this thread easier and better?

[MrGongGong]

Naim insist on having DIN connections because they say they sound better

???



You mean 5 Pin ?

[Beef Oven!]

Yes, £80 or so for a new Airport Express. The refurbished device is a bit cheaper.

Might check out the refurbed one, need to hold over some cash for a connection lead to the Naim pre-amp (Naim insist on having DIN connections because they say they sound better (sic ). Adding a headphone input is quite cheap at £200 (second hand)! Sorry, I'm in a Naim-hate mood today!

[Pianoman]

I admit I use the 'long lead' scenario, which annoys the wife sometimes with a 12 ft cable trailing across the room, but does assure a proper connection to the main hifi. My internet is too flaky for wireless options. With a Macbook the headphone out is also optical, so mine is out from laptop to the dac and ensures identical sound the the cd - i've A/Bd it to be sure !

[MrGongGong]

What's wrong with a mini jack > phono cable ?

I would always think about whether it really is necessary to have wireless connection with all the hassle you get with it ! Some things it's absolutely essential (I did some performances in a quarry this year with a roaming audience using wireless mics, headphones and all powered off 12v batteries > inverters etc, no alternative there) ....

A decent quality (not the virgin in the moonlight twisted by organic monkeys and blessed by monks version) would cost you about £10....
SO that's £70 to spend on CD's , Malt Whisky, presents for your children, commissioning new music etc etc etc

And OXOboy that was no "bloke" that was a "Genius" (modest job title ?)

[Stunsworth]

Yes, £80 or so for a new Airport Express. The refurbished device is a bit cheaper.

[Beef Oven!]

You could use an Airport Express and connect its analogue output to a line level input on the amp, or its digital output to a DAC.

On the Mac, if it's running Mavericks you could use Airplay to send iTunes output to the Airport Express. If Airplay isn't available you'd could use some software called Airfoil to do the same.

a refurbished Airport Express is £59 from Apple. Airfoil is $25.

The bloke in the Apple shop in Regents Street said that to me when I was in there last week. About £80?